1. Field of the Disclosed Embodiments
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for implementing a WiGig Protocol Adaptation Layer (PAL) over an Internet Protocol (IP).
2. Related Art
The next step in wireless communication is nearing. A first generation of mmWave, such as 60 GHz, wireless communication systems is in the process of being standardized as, for example, the proposed IEEE 802.11ad/WiGig standard. A broad spectrum of products that support mmWave wireless communication are being developed and manufactured.
The Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig) has defined the specification for the 60 GHz MAC and PHY layers. The WiGig MAC/PHY specification enables data rates up to 7 Gbps, which is significantly faster than any data rate available in Wi-Fi networks based on current standards. WiGig systems operate in the 60 GHz frequency band, and have a broader spectrum available than the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands used by existing Wi-Fi communications. This allows wider bandwidths that support faster transmission speeds.
WiGig has defined multiple protocol adaptation layers (PALs) directly on top of the 60 GHz MAC and PHY layers. This is not a wholly new concept in that other standards, such as Wi-Fi, define similar or different protocol adaptation layers that facilitate specific applications over different MAC/PHY layers. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the currently proposed WiGig layering model. As shown in FIG. 1, multiple PALs 120-150 are specified directly on top of the WiGig 60 GHz MAC layer 110 and the WiGig 60 GHz PHY layer 100. These separate PALs 120-150 provide for optimal support of different types of applications according to the WiGig proposed standards for 60 GHz wireless communication. For example, the recently-developed WiGig Display Extension (WDE) PAL 120 supports wireless transmission of audio/video data via multiple interfaces and offers key audio/video applications, such as transmission of compressed or uncompressed video from a computer or digital camera to an HDTV, a monitor or a projector. The WiGig Serial Extension (WSE) PAL 130 defines high-performance wireless implementations of widely-used computer interfaces over 60 GHz enabling the multi-gigabit wireless connectivity between devices for, for example, USB type data traffic. The WiGig Bus Extension (WBE) PAL 140 supports Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) data traffic. A separate Secure Digital Input/Output (SDIO) PAL 150 supports SDIO traffic. Additionally, the WiGig architecture and standards leave open the possibility that other PALs may be specified to support other traffic types as may be defined by WiGig in the future.
In the currently proposed WiGig layering model, as shown in FIG. 1, the PAL layers operate directly on top of the MAC layer, providing the maximum protocol efficiency and minimum overhead.
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User Diagram Protocol (UDP) and Internet Protocol (IP), commonly referred to as TCP/IP or UDP/IP, provide a well-known suite of communications protocols used for communicating over the Internet and over other networks. TCP/IP or UDP/IP methods and protocols are generally organized into a standard hierarchy of abstraction layers, including a link layer, an Internet layer, a transport layer, and an application layer. Those of skill in the art recognize that each layer has functionality to solve certain issues that are specified and limited in scope according to the layer. The hierarchical structure facilitates communications by limiting separate functions to separate layers. The link layer contains communication technologies for the local network to which the host is connected directly by hardware components. The Internet layer facilitates the interconnection of local networks generally establishing the Internet. Host-to-host communication tasks are handled in the transport layer, which provides a general application-agnostic framework to transmit data between hosts using either TCP or User Datagram Protocol (UDP). A highest-level application layer contains protocols that are each specifically defined for applications that facilitate individual data communications.
As is indicated briefly above, transport layers are known generally to comprise one of two overarching protocols, TCP and UDP. Those of skill in the art recognize that there may be specific reasons for choosing one over the other based on the different characteristics of these protocols.
TCP is the more commonly known and used of these protocols for Internet communications generally because TCP offers acknowledgement of receipt of data packets in a specified order, thereby allowing for error correction. When TCP is used, the content of the data packet provides an ability to guarantee delivery of the data based on flow control. TCP flow control may determine that certain data has not been received, or has been received out of order, and may need to be resent. In such instances, the flow of data may be interrupted until the system determines that previously undelivered packets are successfully received.
Conversely, UDP is rarely used to send data that is considered to be important and in which the delivery of the data must be guaranteed. UDP is often used for streaming audio and video because, by doing away with the need for acknowledgement and verification, like TCP flow control and error correction, UDP is faster. This speed is the principal benefit of UDP in instances where imprecision of receipt of the data may be acceptable.